Opinion

The notification came in a simple press release: The Heath Springs Seniors Center was closing. Seniors using the Heath Springs facility could continue to get the same services at the Kershaw Satellite Senior Center just five miles away.

On Dec. 10, while attending a friend’s burial at Kershaw Cemetery, I visited my late husband’s grave to pay respect. I noticed at this time that my tombstone had been removed. Someone had actually stolen my grave marker that I had placed beside my deceased husband’s grave.

Editor’s note: Sen. Greg Gregory, R-16, writes a newsletter to capture the happenings in the General Assembly. Following is a synopsis of the bills:

Money matters

It has been said that the art of taxation is to pluck the most feathers from the goose without it noticing. In South Carolina, legislators have taken this approach by swapping taxes that are hated (property taxes) for ones that are perceived as more pain-free (sales taxes and fees). There has been much change in the last two years, so here is a thumbnail sketch of the current status.

The original intent of zoning was to provide for stability in communities by mandating what uses of the land in that community were permissible.

The act of rezoning was quite rare and done only under extraordinary circumstances. This provided protection for property owners in a community and ensured preservation of community characteristics and property values.

Now the fad has become rezoning. Current zoning insures no stability in a community. Why is this occurring? Greed.

Are you ready for the death of the dollar and the end of the United States as a sovereign nation? Are you ready for the North American Union (N.A.U.)?

Are you read for a 12-lane limited-access highway running from the Mexican west coast of Lazaro Cardenas controlled by the Chinese firm of Hutchinson Whampoa, running through Texas and north into Canada without stopping at the current U.S. border?

Well, you better be ready or else you need to contact your congressman and ask him or her to stop the runaway freight train of the N.A.U.

Today’s choices shape my future profusely. Sir Isaac Newton wrote and proved the Law of Physics that “for every action there is a reaction.”

Everyone knows there are good choices and bad choices. Everyone has made each of them, more than others. The things we do today affect everything that happens in the future. Once people understand that not only the things they do, but the things people around them do, affect them just as much, they can begin to make better on difficult choices.

“There will always be companies making sheets and towels, but we’re not likely to see a company the likes of Springs Industries ever again. Nor is there likely to be another (CEO) like Crandall Bowles, the last president of the freestanding Springs.”

I am writing to you in reference to your comments made at the Nov. 26 County Council meeting, as quoted in the Dec. 5 issue of Carolina Gateway. I am also copying as many of the county officials that I have addresses, in addition to the Carolina Gateway. You and I have previously met and discussed some of these concerns in regard to your proposed nuisance ordinance.

On Dec. 1, I lost my son, Jason Payne, in an auto accident. Unless you’re a mom who has experienced the loss of a child, you will never know my grief and pain.

My son’s accident not only made the Sunday paper, but for some reason unknown to me, the paper felt it should have been the headliner that day. I wanted to scream every time I saw a Lancaster News paper box on the day of my son’s wake.

I can’t believe that the people of this town would even put up flags saying Happy Holidays. No wonder things are as bad as they are in this town. No jobs, no companies wanting to come here. This is the season to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.

If we are ashamed to mention the word Christmas in the town of Lancaster then we can’t expect great things to happen here. We shouldn’t be ashamed to say Merry Christmas. Without Christ’s birthday there would be nothing to celebrate.

As I drove down Main Street of my hometown, Lancaster, I couldn’t help but notice that the city had installed flags on the street to celebrate the CHRISTmas season. Instead of having on them Merry CHRISTmas it was Happy Holidays.

I couldn’t believe that my hometown was going the way of the world by removing CHRIST from CHRISTmas.

I say shame on you City Council if you allowed this to happen. But we still have the CHRISTmas parade thank you, and not the holiday parade.

What’s next? If CHRIST is left out of CHRISTmas we have an empty celebration.

I’m a retired decorator from the South Park Mall area, but I live in downtown Lancaster. I noticed that the city of Lancaster has put up these ugly happy holiday flags instead of the beautiful decorations they have had in Christmases past. I was very disappointed in the lack of Christmas spirit from the city of Lancaster. The city has the power to put up the Christmas decorations and celebrate the birth of Christ.